News & Events

LE and LD becoming part of a global conversation

August 2017

Dear LE&RN Supporting Member,

Recently, I had an hour-long conversation with a nonprofit leader to talk about LE&RN’s efforts to fight lymphedema and lymphatic diseases. Within minutes of ending the call, I received a thoughtful e-mail wishing us luck in our battle against “lymphoma.”

Although the words lymphedema (LE) and lymphatic disease (LD) had been said dozens of times during our call, he had reached into his arsenal of known diseases and came up with one that was never mentioned. Once again, I am reminded that a disease affecting 10 million Americans and 170 million worldwide remains all too invisible.
However, we are changing this and I want to bring your attention to two new articles that are connecting the dots for doctors and the public at large. Vein Magazine gave LE&RN and lymphedema their cover story this summer. With interviews with Kathy Bates, Dr. Stan Rockson, and me, they explore the importance of a recognized acronym for lymphedema (LE), and the need for vascular surgeons to become experts in the disease. At the same time, WebMD interviewed Kathy Bates and brought the story of LE to its vast audience.

To win this war and position LE and LD as world priorities, we first need them to become part of the global conversation. We are succeeding thanks to LE&RN Supporting Members.

This is your movement. Thanks to you, we come closer to our goal every day.

Sincerely,
William Repicci,
President & CEO, LE&RN

If you are not yet a Sponsor-level Supporting Member, consider upgrading your Membership today. For a limited time, new Sponsor-level Supporting Members will receive a copy of the new book Let’s Talk Lymphoedema: The Essential Guide to Everything You Need to Know, by Gemma Levine and Professor Peter Mortimer, published by Elliott & Thompson.